Can-opener.



H. J. SCHMIDT.

CAN OPENER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1912.

1,070,357, Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

HARRY J. SCHMIDT, 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

CAN-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

Application filed July 27, 1912. Serial No. 711,798.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY J. SCHMIDT, acitizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county ofSpokane and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Can- Openers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to can openers, providing an easy and simplemethod of opening cans, and has for its object to provide a device ofthe character mentioned, that will cut the tin or metal covering-on thetops of cans of any size, by means ofa pointed blade descending andascending, operated by means of a handle on said device.

Other objects will be hereinafter disclosed and shown in the drawings.

The principal features of the device are a base and upright stationaryback to which is adjusted a shaft by means of a groove and a pinpermitting said shaft to be raised and lowered by means of a handle,which handle is secured at one end to a projection of the uprightstationary back, and is attached to the shaft by means of a pin, so thatwhen the handle is raised and lowered it will raise and lower the shaft,and at the top of the shaft is a shoulder to which a blade sharpened onthe lower edges and cut gradually to a point at the lower end, isattached; and other detail features hereinafter described and pointedout in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is the front viewof the entire device; Fig. 2, is the right side view of the entiredevice; Fig. 3, is the right side view from above, of a portion of theshaft and of the shoulder at top of shaft and of the blade, which isattached to and held in place by said shoulder of shaft and said shaft.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The base 10 and upright stationary back 11, are one part. The base 10 isso shaped that a can may be easily held firmly against the uprightstationary back 11, and the sides 10 of the base 10 are slightly raisedabove said base for that purpose. The holes 10 in the base are to beused for the purpose of attaching the device to a table or board orother stand, if desired. The shaft 12 fits into a groove or depression11 as shown in Fig. 2 made in the rear of upright stationary back 11,thus permitting said shaft 12 to slide up and down in said groove orhollowed portion 11 and be held in place by the sides of said uprightstationary back which extend beyond the sides of said shaft, andpartially inclose said shaft. Shaft 12 is also held in place by means ofa pin which is fastened to upright stationary back 11, and the head 18of which pin overlaps opening l3 made in shaft 12, said opening 13 beingmade to permit the shaft 12 to which the blade 15 is attached to slideup and down. The handle 21 is secured at one end to the uprightstationary back 11 on a projection thereof 11 by means of a screw or pin22. Handle 21 is attached to shaft 12 by means of a pin, and the head 20of said pin overlaps opening 19 made in handle 21, said opening 19 beingmade to permit the handle 21 to slide when said handle 21 is beingraised or lowered for the purpose of raising or lowering the blade 15.

At the top of upright stationary back 11 is a short projection 11 asshown in Fig. 2 extending toward the front, for the purpose of guidingthe blade 15 and supplying a back support for said blade as said blade15 ascends and descends or is raised and lowered. At the top of shaft 12is attached a slightly concaved shoulder 14, at the far upper ends ofwhich are small projections 14* extending out and overlapping the top 15of the blade 15, for the purpose of holding said blade 15 firmly and toprevent it from slipping upward. The blade 15 which is slightlyconcaved, is attached near the top and upper center to the shoulder 14and with the shoulder 14 to the shaft 12, by means of the screw and nut,or pin, 16. As shown in Fig. 3, the blade 15 is slightly concave information, the middle of the back from top to bottom, 15, is straightand vertical, the edges 15 are straight and vertical fro-m the ends ofthe top 15 to 15", and the edges 15 are gradually curved from 15 andbrought to a point 15. The edges 15 of the blade 15, which extend from15 to the actual point 15, are sharpened, for the purpose of cutting thetin or other metal.

The practical application of the device in opening cans is as follows:By raising the handle 21, the blade 15, which is attached to theshoulder 14 and t0 the shaft 12 (said shaft 12 being attached to thehandle 21 by the pin 20), is raised, and as the handle is lowered itconsequently causes the blade to descend, and the can being placed inthe base of said device, the tin or metal forming the top of said can,will be pierced and cut by the point 15 and the edges 15 of said blade15 as saidblade descends; and by simply revolving the can, and repeatingthe process, the entire top will be easily cut out, detached or severed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is as fellows:

I claim:

The combination, in a can opener, of a base having slightly raised sidesand an upright stationary back, said upright stationary back having agroove or hollowed portion in the rear thereof for the purpose ofcontaining a shaft, and said upright stationary back having a projectionat the top and front thereof for the purpose of guiding a blade, with ashaft which fits into the groove or hollowed portion in the rear of saidupright stationary back, With a handle attached to the shaft and to theupright stationary back, with a concaved shoulder having projections atthe upper ends, attached to the shaft at the top thereof, with a bladeattached to and fitting into the shoulder, all substantially as setforth and described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY J. SCHMIDT.

WVitnesses:

FRANK T. POST, THOMAS B. Hnooms.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

